Here's how music helps the world's peak athletes reach a higher level of training and performance

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Nov 5, 2018 - 4:47 pm

One thing Olympic athletes such as skier Lindsey Vonn have in common with pro sports stars such as LeBron James and Floyd Mayweather Jr. is their reliance on musical motivation during intense training sessions. Music adds value to many things in life, but its connection to physical performance enhancement has made a wide audience curious whether motivational playlists can help them boost their own fitness.

On Nov. 5 Genius details downhill Olympic skiing champion Lindsey Vonn's personal picks — especially rap and hip-hop — meant to inspire athletes of all levels to push through the common love/hate relationship with training, centered on the song "You Can Make It If You Try."

Another 2018 skiing medalist, Cassie Sharpe described music's invigorating effect, saying, "It really keeps me focused and keeps me in my own space." This interest in staying in the zone and being in a flow state underlies the wider public interest, as athletes at every level seek higher performance and increased focus in their own lives.

Vonn isn't the first marquee athlete to reveal her playlist. Floyd Mayweather Jr. released his "Hard Work & Dedication" 42-song playlist in summer 2017 before his bout with Conor McGregor. On Apple Music this past Sept., new Laker LeBron James released a 62-song playlist titled "The Strongest." Hip-hop was also heavily represented in both playlists, and James even took representation to a personally inspiring level by selecting all women.

"I believe that African American women are some of the strongest people on earth," James said. "I grew up around some amazingly strong women and am inspired by the strength I see around, including my mom, wife, and daughter."

Sports playlists are motivating scientific research as well. Last year, an academic paper appeared in Frontiers In Psychology titled "The Sound of Success: Investigating Cognitive and Behavioral Effects of Motivational Music in Sports," exploring this topic more rigorously. The authors found a distinction between the way music does assist endurance and risk-taking and the way it did not improve the motor coordination of participants in their study. A control group with no music was compared with participant-selected playlists as well as an experimenter-selected playlist including Eminem, David Guetta, Katy Perry, and Kanye West. Comparing their own results with the academic literature on the subject, they considered this a rich subject for further future investigations.

As sharing music becomes more of a no-brainer, this practice has become more digital and daily. The group effect among high school students, where friends and teammates listen to each other's favorite artists, has been a staple of growing up in America. In addition to playlists' impact on sports training, it seems another dimension being added to American life is answering the question, "What do your heroes listen to?"

NYC Council Approves Wu-Tang Clan And Notorious B.I.G. Street Names

NYC is honoring rap history by voting to rename two streets after the iconic rappers

Phillip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Dec 28, 2018 - 2:05 pm

Notorious B.I.G. and the Wu-Tang Clan are steps closer to becoming a permanent part of New York City, their hometown and one of the birthplaces of hip-hop.

The New York City council has unanimously voted to have a Booklyn street become Christopher Wallace Way (after Biggie) and a Staten Island street become Wu-Tang Clan District. The measures are still pending Mayor Bill de Blasio's signature.

The street Notorious B.I.G. grew up will be co-named "Christopher Wallace Way." There will also be a "Wu-Tang Clan District" in Staten Island. pic.twitter.com/CTpLIM36jp

"As soon as you put a name on a street sign, you say something about the public importance of that individual," University of Tenn. Geography Professor Derek Alderman told NPR. "Hip-hop deserves that respect."

Brooklyn Community Board 2 first approved the re-naming petition 33-1 in November.

NYC resident LeRoy McCarthy, who led the naming initiatives for both streets, thinks naming a street after Biggie symbolizes something greater than the rapper. "It symbolizes a culture. It symbolizes a borough. It symbolizes a people, and hip-hop is worldwide,” he toldRolling Stone.

The council also voted to name a street after Woody Guthriein Coney Island, where the iconic folk singer lived in the 1940s.

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The block expected to become Christopher Wallace Way is on St. James Place between Fulton Street and Gates Avenue where B.I.G. actually grew up. Wu-Tang Clan District will be centered on the intersection of Vanderbilt Avenue and Targee Street, the location of Sobel Court Park, according to Rolling Stone.

The news of the council passing the measures came shortly after Chuck D was announced as chairman of the celebrity board for the Universal Hip-Hop Museum to open in Brooklyn in 2022.

How New Artists Can Build A Following In 2019, According To SoundCloud

The key to standing out is showing up as yourself and growing a network of fans

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Dec 28, 2018 - 11:49 am

The artist and label services team at SoundCloud has some advice for artists hoping to grow their audiences in 2019: Be “YOUnique.”

Nov 4, 2014 – 3:40 pm

Ledisi Has Three I's For Social Media

As summed up in a handy list on Hypebot, there are a few ways aspiring artists can build a following: Keep to a consistent schedule of uploads (Fridays are reportedly the best days to release new music), and stay inspired by listening to your fellow artists. You never know when you’ll discover a new friend and/or collaborator.

But above all, when marketing yourself, remember to be "YOUnique": after all, being real is part of what makes music compelling.

SoundCloud also advises artists to pay close attention to their fan network (yes, that means reading the comments section) and study the streaming analytics available with the service’s SoundCloud Pro package. It always helps to know what your listeners are gravitating toward the most, right?

Check out SoundCloud’s advice for aspiring artists over at HypeBot, and the best of luck to all of you creators in 2019.

ASCAP Makes Disaster Relief Donation To MusiCares

Performing rights organization ASCAP announced on Dec. 18 that it is donating to MusiCares to support music's creators including those "affected by the recent wildfires in northern and southern California" needing help with food, shelter and replacement of instruments or equipment.

"We are truly grateful for the support and ongoing partnership of ASCAP," said Recording Academy and MusiCares President/CEO Neil Portnow. "Their work on behalf of music people is vital, and their generosity to the music community is equally strong. This donation demonstrates how the music industry works together to take care of their own."

"We have all been stunned by the devastation caused by the California fires and the heartache and loss suffered by our members who reside there," said ASCAP Chairman of the Board and President Paul Williams, winner of three GRAMMY awards as a songwriter. "ASCAP has always been an advocate for music creators, and faced with these terrible circumstances, we have their backs. We are pleased to work with MusiCares to get help to those who need it most."

Members may make disaster relief requests by contacting MusiCares toll-free at 1.800.687.4227.

For those wishing to donate, the "Gift Designation" choice at MusiCares' donation page offers "Disaster Relief" as a selection.

"The music community knows that it can turn to MusiCares in times of distress," said ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews. "They have the organization and the infrastructure necessary to respond to these horrible events and help members of the music community in times of need. We're glad to work with MusiCares once again to ensure that our funds reach the people most affected by the fires."

All-Star Lineup To Pay Tribute At "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen of Soul"

A historic CBS tribute to be broadcast in 2019 will tape at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. on Jan. 13, 2019 with performances by GRAMMY winners and 61st GRAMMY Award nominees

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Dec 27, 2018 - 6:31 am

The Recording Academy's tradition of tribute specials continue with "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul," a one-of-a-kind tribute concert and passionate remembrance of Aretha Franklin. The special will be taped on Jan. 13 and aired sometime in 2019 on CBS with performances from outstanding GRAMMY winners and nominees.

"For more than six decades, her extraordinary artistic achievements coupled with her passionate dedication to her philanthropic work — which ranged from children's and artists' issues to civil rights activism — served as a testament to her power, majesty, and genius," said Recording Academy President/CEO Neil Portnow. "These gifts positioned her as a true cultural icon, and the Recording Academy is honored to celebrate her inspirational legacy"

The unforgettable night will be hosted by movie and television actor, writer, director, and producer Tyler Perry. "Aretha! A GRAMMY Celebration For The Queen Of Soul" is presented together with AEG Ehrlich Ventures, CBS and Clive Davis.

"Aretha was more than the Queen of Soul; she was a national treasure," said Davis. "This unique concert — featuring many of today's greatest artists — will celebrate Aretha in a spectacular manner befitting her once-in-a-lifetime talent."

Some of the content on this site expresses viewpoints and opinions that are not those of the Recording Academy. Responsibility for the accuracy of information provided in stories not written by or specifically prepared for the Academy lies with the story's original source or writer. Content on this site does not reflect an endorsement or recommendation of any artist or music by the Recording Academy.